Prevent windows from automatically maximizing

Q. I like to keep various application windows open and sized the way I like them. I tend to move them around sometimes and I noticed that when I drag an application window to the top of my display, it causes the window to open up full screen. Is there a way to disable this?

A. It’s not a well-known feature, but one of the Windows 7 and 8 Ease Of Access features is that you can make the mouse do a few extra tricks. The one you discovered is enabled by default and lets you drag any open application window to the top of your screen and then, when you let it go, the window will change from sized to full screen. If you move it to the right or left edge it will open the windows to full screen size vertically and half screen size horizontally.

To turn this feature off simply open up the Control Panel, then the Ease of Access Center. Click on the section called Make the mouse easier to use and check the box next to Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen. Once you click OK your windows will stay the size you set no matter where you move them.

If you look around in this section of the Control Panel you will find many useful options for making modifications to how your mouse behaves and customizing actions to suite how you use your PC.